Written Answers Wednesday 13 August 2008

Scottish Executive

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards implementing new extended services for (a) osteoporosis, (b) heart failure and (c) peripheral vascular disease.

Shona Robison: We are in regular dialogue with stakeholders about clinical priorities and the development of new enhanced services through the GMS contract. Further work on proposed enhanced services will proceed following the conclusion of our current consultation with the profession on the implementation of the GMS contract recommendations of the Doctors and Dentists Review Body Report 2008.

NHS Funding

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any hospital wards will need to be closed in the south of Scotland as a result of the change from the Arbuthnott Formula to the new NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee funding formula and, if so, how many.

Nicola Sturgeon: No. Like under Arbuthnott, the changes to the funding formula will be phased in gradually to assure the stability of the health boards’ financial position. I have confirmed that no board will receive a drop in the level of their funding as a result of the funding formula changes, this year or indeed any year through the current period of the settlement. This point is extremely important as it means that far from there being health cuts, all boards have received a standard uplift for 2008-09, regardless of any additional uplifts to those boards below their target shares.